Re: What are you reading?

Just finished The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett. I wasn't paying attention to the percentage read on my Kindle and the ending caught me off guard. I guess that never happens with a book, but it was kind of interesting. All of a sudden it was over and I still had forward momentum, so I had to do a little post-configuring in my head. I would read a sequel to this book, although I normally dislike series and sequels.

Re: What are you reading?

Originally Posted by Cootie

I've just started Dr. Sleep by Stephen King. I heard an interview by he and his son yesterday on NPR. This is the sequel to The Shining where Dan Torrance, the young boy in The Shining, has grown up. I think I have only read two of his books in the last 30 years, but prior to that I read everything he wrote. It's good so far.

I just started this one as well. I was going to re-read The Shining first, but one of our movie channels was kind enough to broadcast the original movie a couple days ago - since this was one of the better movie versions of his books, it was a good enough refresher for this book. Curious to see how this True Knot group is going to play into the story.

All my life, I have felt destiny tugging at my sleeve.~ Thursday NextI don't want to "go with the flow". The flow just washes you down the drain. I want to fight the flow.- Henry RollinsAll this spiritual talk is great and everything...but at the end of the day, there's nothing like a pair of skinny jeans. - Jillian Michaels

Re: What are you reading?

The Lonely Dead -Michael Marshall

Sequel to The Straw Men.

I vaguely recall The Straw Men, or similar subject manner/

This author is terrific with this tale, IMO, but I kept being thrown off with the British wordings. The story takes place on the U.S. west coast or west, but these British renderings of words often take place. I'd initially figured that they (the publishers) tweaked words for a British audience, but I was wrong. It is the author who is wacked out, ably describing a U.S. tale from wherever the heck he lives in North London.

What a perceptive eye this writer possesses, I'm thinking. Something that ought to be acknowledged beyond the thriller realm.

Re: What are you reading?

I took a break from Doctor Sleep because my copy of The Wolf of Wall Street came in from the library. For some reason I have always loved Wall Street intrigue, whether it's fiction or not (Bonfire of the Vanities is on my top-10 all-time favourite book list) and it was the trailers for the film that inspired me to read this one. The Wolf of Wall Street is Jordan Belcort's memoir of his days as an investment banker. It is not terribly well-written and I don't think Belcort is really that sorry about his past debauchery and dirty deals. But I think the film is going to be epic, because Leonardo DiCaprio is great in this kind of crazy-man role and the stuff that Belcort and his crowd did is made for the movie screen.

This was in the list of books-to-read-before-you-see-the-movie. I'm thinking you could probably skip the book and just go with the movie, but it's still kind of a fun read.

All my life, I have felt destiny tugging at my sleeve.~ Thursday NextI don't want to "go with the flow". The flow just washes you down the drain. I want to fight the flow.- Henry RollinsAll this spiritual talk is great and everything...but at the end of the day, there's nothing like a pair of skinny jeans. - Jillian Michaels

Re: What are you reading?

I finished Dave Eggers' The Circle a few days ago and, as I predicted it would, it kind of scared the crap out of me. While we're not to the point where EVERYTHING we do is documented and seen, some of the things I see from tech companies make me think that this book isn't that far a leap from what could happen. Very well-written and VERY thought-provoking.

I also finished Eiffel's Tower by Jill Jonnes, about the 1889 World's Fair in Paris, with the building of the Eiffel Tower as the centerpiece. Eiffel, Thomas Edison, Paul Gauguin, Buffalo Bill, Annie Oakley, Thomas Whistler....what's not to like? SO interesting and SO rich in information. This is smack in the middle of my favorite time period in history (@1870-1920), so I loved it. I always imagine it would have been wonderful to live in that time but realistically, I probably would have been taking care of babies and cleaning house and not sitting in a cafe with Emile Zola musing about life and art.

Now I'm back to The Goldfinch (had to put it down for Eiffel's Tower, which was for my book club), which is still wonderful. It's around 800 pages and I really don't want it to end. I'm savoring it.

I picked up Hannah Kent's Burial Rites last night to read in bed. I heard her speak last month and immediately wanted to read the book. It's historical fiction about the last woman executed for murder in Iceland. There's talk of Jennifer Lawrence starring in the film version, so this one will likely be getting a lot of attention soon. Here's a little blurb about the book:

A brilliant literary debut, inspired by a true story: the final days of a young woman accused of murder in Iceland in 1829.

Set against Iceland's stark landscape, Hannah Kent brings to vivid life the story of Agnes, who, charged with the brutal murder of her former master, is sent to an isolated farm to await execution.

Horrified at the prospect of housing a convicted murderer, the family at first avoids Agnes. Only Tóti, a priest Agnes has mysteriously chosen to be her spiritual guardian, seeks to understand her. But as Agnes's death looms, the farmer's wife and their daughters learn there is another side to the sensational story they've heard.

Riveting and rich with lyricism, BURIAL RITES evokes a dramatic existence in a distant time and place, and asks the question, how can one woman hope to endure when her life depends upon the stories told by others?

Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.' - Isaac Asimov

I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, "... I drank what?"

Re: What are you reading?

I just borrowed Edward Rutherfurd's newest novel, Paris from my digital library. I'm planning to read his New York again, but decided I'd do this one first.

I know there was another Rutherfurd fan here, but I'm sorry to say I don't recall who it is. Has anyone read this yet?

I think that's me! Or, maybe I'm just one of them. I LOVE Rutherfurd. I have Paris and have had for months and am embarrassed to say that I haven't read it yet. I think I'll pull it out for Christmas. My life is so hectic right now that I don't have the time to devote to it. I want to be able to really spend HOURS in a row with it. Sarum remains my favorite Rutherfurd, with Russka running a close second.

Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.' - Isaac Asimov

I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, "... I drank what?"